Elder Liu did not immediately answer; instead, he fixed his gaze on Luo Jinxiao, seemingly lost in thought.
Feeling unnerved by his intense gaze, Luo Jinxiao quickly lowered her head, avoiding his eyes. She couldn’t shake the feeling that his deep, well-like eyes could see through her past and present lives.
But this was, of course, just an illusion. Eventually, Elder Liu spoke up, saying, “Yes, you’re at the second stage of the Golden Core.”
The second stage of the Golden Core!
This was the level of cultivation she had achieved in her previous life. It seemed she hadn’t come back as just a soul, nor had she lost her cultivation; it was merely hidden for the moment.
“However, your spiritual veins are quite chaotic now, and the spiritual power within you seems to originate from different sources. In all my years, I’ve never seen such a peculiar case,” Elder Liu continued slowly. “Could it be some sort of divine intervention?”
Luo Jinxiao was nearly overwhelmed with joy but managed to calm down upon hearing Elder Liu’s words.
He was right; it wasn’t normal for someone once deemed talentless to suddenly possess spiritual veins and reach the second stage of the Golden Core. It was no wonder he advised her to keep this hidden.
Elder Liu, seeing her expression, understood there were things she couldn’t easily disclose. He turned his back to her and said, “Very well, I won’t pry. Just remember what I told you: even in a small sect like ours, there are many dangers. Not all immortals are good people; be cautious.”
Hearing his advice, Luo Jinxiao straightened her posture and respectfully replied, “Thank you, Master, for your guidance.”
“You are obedient,” Elder Liu said, seemingly pleased. With a wave of his hand, a blue light enveloped Luo Jinxiao before dissipating.
“This is a secret technique; others can no longer discern your true cultivation level,” Elder Liu explained before leaving, the door closing quietly behind him.
Luo Jinxiao looked at her hands, initially trembling, then suddenly breaking into a broad smile.
It had been a long time since she felt such exhilaration. One of life’s greatest joys was regaining something thought lost.
“Second stage of the Golden Core,” she murmured to herself. Silver light gathered in her palm, nearly solidifying, yet it continued to flow endlessly.
Cultivation was divided into several stages: Qi Refining, Foundation Establishment, Void Dust, Golden Core, Nascent Soul, Soul Transformation, and Tribulation Transcendence, each with three sub-stages. Progressing became increasingly difficult with each level.
The Tribulation Transcendence stage was the most perilous, often where many cultivators reached their limit or met their demise. Those who surpassed it were rare, nearly reaching a transcendental state. Luo Jinxiao had met only a few such individuals.
Her current stage, the second stage of the Golden Core, was an impressive achievement for someone her age.
The demoness, Qu Weiyin, was at the first stage of Soul Transformation. Two more stages and she would face the Tribulation. Given her tendency towards demonic influence, what would happen then?
Luo Jinxiao shook her head vigorously. Why was she thinking about the demoness now?
Her excitement was overwhelming. To prevent herself from becoming complacent, she spent the following days attending lessons with Lu Fanzhi and the others. However, she often retreated to a corner, finding the lectures tedious and filled with information she already knew. To others, it seemed as if the so-called “waste” had given up entirely, not even bothering with basic lessons.
Rumors spread quickly—some said she had already given up, while others claimed the Wuhui Sect was about to expel her. Even during meals, whispers followed her, filled with either pity or schadenfreude.
Luo Jinxiao took note of it all but remained indifferent.
One day, while dining with Lu Fanzhi, a noisy group approached from afar.
The dining area resembled an ice chamber, surrounded by pale blue jade. Large, smooth stones served as tables, as if they had grown from the ground.
Legend had it that the sect leader personally built this chamber for a beloved who adored eating. Despite her low cultivation, he loved her deeply and traveled to the distant Changmu, a land perpetually covered in snow, to gather spirit-infused jade to construct this ice chamber.
Thus, his beloved could enjoy meals while cultivating.
When Luo Jinxiao first heard this story, she laughed heartily, but Lu Fanzhi sighed wistfully, resting her chin in her hands. Between laughter, Luo Jinxiao asked why.
Lu Fanzhi shared the story’s tragic end. During a great battle, the woman died saving the sect leader, who then sat in mourning on the battlefield for three days, after which he ascended Nandou Peak and never returned.
People said the Wuhui Sect’s leader was a martyr for love, and since then, Nandou Peak had become forbidden territory, off-limits to everyone.
Luo Jinxiao stopped laughing after hearing this, stunned into silence, muttering about the foolishness of love.
As she ate, the noisy group surrounded her. Leading them was Yan Ying, a peacock perched arrogantly on her shoulder, mirroring her haughty demeanor.
Luo Jinxiao had been avoiding confrontations, but as she tried to leave, someone blocked her path.
“Hey, waste, when are you leaving the Wuhui Sect? Or do you want to be knocked out and carried away on the day of the competition?” Yan Ying’s mocking voice rang out, drawing laughter from the crowd.
Lu Fanzhi stood up, discarding her bowl and chopsticks, and challenged, “What do you want? I warn you, fighting is forbidden in the Wuhui Sect. If you try anything, you’ll be the one expelled!”
“She’s not worth the effort,” Yan Ying replied, stroking the peacock on her shoulder, looking down on Luo Jinxiao with disdain.
“What do you mean by this?” Luo Jinxiao turned and asked coldly.
Yan Ying was about to speak when a gust of wind swirled around Luo Jinxiao, scattering those blocking her path. The scene quickly descended into chaos.
Luo Ning appeared behind them, striding forward angrily and pulling Lu Fanzhi aside to stand between Yan Ying and her sister. Dressed in a fresh yellow gown with white ribbons at the cuffs, she exuded elegance.
Her usually gentle face showed no malice, even as she glared.
Yan Ying’s gaze briefly flickered with interest but quickly reverted to disdain as she looked down at them. “It’s you. Protecting your waste of a sister again?”
Luo Ning summoned a sword, pointing it at Yan Ying’s throat, “If you have a problem, come at me. Picking on my sister is cowardly!”
Watching their familiar but antagonistic interaction, Luo Jinxiao finally understood the animosity between her and Yan Ying.
Yan Ying opened her mouth, seemingly at a loss for words. Just as the tension peaked, a voice commanded them to stop.
The voice was calm yet carried an undeniable weight, compelling obedience.
Luo Jinxiao turned to see Qu Weiyin. Their eyes met briefly before Qu Weiyin moved past her, leaving a faint fragrance in her wake. Luo Jinxiao held her breath, realizing Qu Weiyin was now standing between them, her gaze sweeping over each of them.
“This behavior is unbecoming.”
Yan Ying immediately fell silent, and the others followed suit, bowing their heads in submission. Only Luo Ning continued to glare defiantly.
“Senior Aunt Qu, she was bullying my sister,” Luo Ning complained, pointing at Yan Ying, looking aggrieved.
“She’s lying! I didn’t!” Yan Ying protested, but under Qu Weiyin’s gaze, her voice dwindled. Despite her usual bravado, she felt uneasy and fearful in Qu Weiyin’s presence.
“Causing trouble will earn you three days of confinement for reflection. Anyone else who repeats this will be barred from the upcoming competition,” Qu Weiyin warned, casting a stern look at Yan Ying. “Now disperse.”
The crowd scattered like birds, leaving Yan Ying glaring at Luo Ning before storming off.
“Sister, don’t worry about her. Ever since we became rivals, she vents her frustration on you. It’s infuriating,” Luo Ning said, sticking her tongue out at Yan Ying’s retreating figure, then turning to reassure Luo Jinxiao.
Luo Jinxiao shook her head, smiling at Luo Ning. She wouldn’t waste energy on trivial matters.
She was about to thank Qu Weiyin when she noticed the woman intently staring at her waist. Glancing down, she saw the pouch she had used to carry her sword. Finding it rather lovely, she had kept it as a belt pouch.
“That pouch…” Qu Weiyin began slowly, still fixated on it.
“It’s the pouch you gave me with the sword, Senior Aunt. Thank you,” Luo Jinxiao said, patting the pouch with a smile, her eyes bright like crescent moons.
Qu Weiyin was unsure if she was thanking her for the sword or the pouch itself. She nodded absentmindedly, her expression neutral, though her thoughts were a jumble.
Hesitating, she added, “That pouch, I bought it when I went down the mountain.”
Luo Jinxiao, unsure why she mentioned this, blinked in confusion.
“It’s beautiful,” she said awkwardly, “I like it a lot.”
“Mm,” Qu Weiyin nodded, her gaze lingering on the vivid red lotus against Luo Jinxiao’s pale blue attire, finding the combination surprisingly fitting.
She had intended to say the pouch was a casual purchase, not handmade or valuable, so there was no need to wear it. But the words stuck in her throat.
She wondered if Luo Jinxiao wore it casually, not caring whether it was handmade by her.
Feeling her cheeks warm slightly, Qu Weiyin found herself inexplicably annoyed, even though she couldn’t pinpoint why.
Mocking herself, she thought it ridiculous that after living for thousands of years, she could be bothered by such trivial matters.
“Nothing more. I have a class to teach,” she said abruptly, turning to leave, leaving Luo Jinxiao alone, scratching her head.
“Wait, Senior Aunt!” Luo Jinxiao called, rushing to block Qu Weiyin’s path. “This is for you.”
Luo Jinxiao produced another pouch from her own, this one embroidered with a crooked smiley face, and offered it to Qu Weiyin.
“I stitched this a few days ago. After receiving your sword, I wanted to give you something in return, even if it’s just a token of appreciation,” Luo Jinxiao explained, slightly worried that Qu Weiyin might not want such a trivial gift.
Qu Weiyin paused, then took the pouch, commenting disdainfully, “It’s ugly.”
But she tucked it into her robe before disappearing in a flash.
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